The Montana Climate Office has published an atlas of climate maps covering Montana and surrounding areas. As a living document, this collection of maps characterizes just a portion of what is understood about Montana's climate.

Montanans know the importance of water. Winter's snowmelt and spring rains bring water to our reservoirs, streams, and soil. This period of resupply is critical to shaping our water supply. Historically, the arrival of an El Nino results in a drier than normal season.

In August 2013 the State Library Commission (MCA 90-1-413) approved Climate as an official Montana Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) layer and identified the Montana Climate Office as the official state steward. First state in the nation!

Home

"It's all about the water"

The Montana Climate Office provides high-quality, timely, relevant, and scientifically based climate information and services to Montanans. As Montana's official climate data stewards, we strive to provide information for specific sectors of interest by either geography or industry, and assist stakeholders in adapting climate products to their needs.

Weather or Climate?

The difference between weather and climate is a measure of time. To understand climate at a given place requires synthesizing the variation in weather over relatively long periods of time. Weather is the day-to-day interaction of factors like temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, visibility, and wind. Scientists pursue an understanding of climate trends or cycles of variability and place those phenomena into the bigger picture of possible longer term changes in our climate.